Means for separating solids from liquids



Nov. 26, 1935. M. LoEB MEANS' FOR SPARATING SOLIDS FROM LIQUIDS Filed July 11, 1954 .z5 59 Z4 53m Z7 'J5 I,

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@im/ff Patented Nov. 26, 1935 UNITED' STATES MEANS FOR SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM LIQUID Maurice Loeb, deceased, late of Chicago, Ill., by Frieda Loeb, executrix, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 11, 1934, serial No. 734,702 3 claims. (o1. 21o-56) The present invention relates to devices. for

the separation of grease and foreign matter from liquids Aand more particularly to devices for use the waste lines of plumbing systems which are connected to sinks and other plumbingxtures into which grease or oil-bearing waste water is dis- I charged.

The waste portionrof the plumbing system in most household, apartment, hotel and restaurant in to other matter insoluble in water. ably the worst offender so far stallations is subject tol frequent stoppage due the presence of large quantities of grease and Grease is probas stoppage in waste systems is concerned. Particularly is this true of thedrain lines leading from kitchen sinks `or sinks in restaurants and the like where the liquid to be drained off into the sewage system ntains relatively large amounts of grease, coffee grounds and the like.

The primary object of the .present invention is the provision ofy a separating device which may be mounted immediately below the housesold sink and thus at vthe source separate the solids and ease from the liquid discharged into the sink prior to the timethat it enters the waste pipes leading to the sewer.

A further' object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character described which easily and conveniently cleaned and cared for. In the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. It is to be understood, however, that this disclosure is for illustrative purposes only and is not to be construed as unnecessarily limiting the scope of the appended claims.`

Referring to the drawing: Fig. 1 is a section in side elevation with the door of the grease receptacle portion of the device open; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3Y is a sectional view on the line 3-'3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a view in cross section showing the gate between the separation chamber and the grease receptacle in open position..

In its general composition, the device comprises an outer casing, referred to by the numeral I I in numeral I 3 and an outlet portion indicated by the n which is divided into a separation chamber dicated by the reference numeral l2, a grease ceptacle chamber indicated by the reference ference numeral I4. The casing II is provided with an inlet openg I5, vwhich opening is provided with an inwardly and downwardly extending baiile I 6 located in the separation chamber I2. The purpose of the inwardly and downwardly extending baille I6 is to direct the flow of the incoming liquid toward the bottom of the separation chamber 5 I2. As appears in Fig. 2, the separation chamber I2 narrows toward the outlet end to provide a channel Il which passes beneath the grease receptacle chamber I3. Connected to the channel I'I is a channel lll which exten-ds upwardly to 10 the outlet I8.Y Due to the fact that the channel Il is narrow and in direct line with the downward flow from the intake baille member i6 there is an increased rate of flow through the channel member I'I.

Mounted on the partition IS which separates the separation chamber I2 from the grease receptacle i3 is a plate Zllwhich is provided with an elongated opening 2l that is bounded by parallel edges that extend into the grease receptacle 20 chamber I3. The plate 2! is mounted so that in normal operation of the device the level of the water in the chamber I2 will be slightly above the bottom edge of the opening 2|. ITo assurethis height of the liquid level in the separation cham- 25' Aber the exhaust opening I8 is positioned so that the bottom of that opening is slightly above the bottom edge of the opening 2|.

Closing oli` the opening 2| from the separation chamber`l2 is a gatey member 22 which is shown 30y face of the gate member 22 is provided with a 40' projecting surface 26 which engages with acamshaped member 2l. 'I'he cam-shaped member 21 is xedly secured by means of a set screw 28 to a sleeve member 29. The sleeve member 29 is pivotally mounted at the ends of the brackets 25 45 and isA provided with slots 39 at the inner end thereof. Slidably mounted within the sleeve member 293 is ahandle member 3|, the inner end of which handle member is flattened to formakeyl shaped portion 32 which is adapted to engage with 50 the edges of the slots 30 when theV handle mem- 4beris moved outwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

As shown in detail in Fig. 4, in order that the handle member will not only actuate the cam 21 55 l to close the gate 22 but also to raise the gate,

finger members 33 are provided at the upper edge of the gate and a pin 34 is provided extending through the cam member to engage said finger members when the cam member is moved in an upward direction.

Located in the grease separating chamber |3 immediately below the opening 2| is a grease receptacle 35. A door 36 hinged at its bottom portion and provided with a catch 31 at the top closes off the grease receptacle portion and, as is apparent from Fig. 2, upon opening of the door the handle mmeber 3| may be moved outwardly and, likewise, the grease receptacle may be removed from the device. A clean-out plug 38 is provided at the bottom of the device.

Having reference to the operation of the device, it is apparent that the intake l5 may be connected directly to the waste pipe of the sink and since the device may be constructed relatively light and of rather small dimensions it may be suspended immediately below the sink or supported from the wall or iioor. The waste Waters discharged from the sink are thus fed directly into the separation chamber. The baffle plate I6 directs their ilow downwardly toward the bottom `of the chamber, thus providing a quiescent pool within the chamber which gives the opportunity for the grease and the other particles lighter than water to rise to the surface and accumulate upon the surface in the form of scum and grease. The solid matter and particles heavier than Water will quickly settle to the bottom and due to the fact that the exhaust from the separation chamber is relatively narrow the rate of flow of water through the exhaust portion of the device is sufficiently rapid to wash these particles on up through and into the sewage system.

The discharge of such solid particles into the sewage system does not tend to clog the sewerV unless there is grease present but since the grease has been removed they will pass on through without any detrimental effects. The clean-out plug 38, however, is provided so that in the event any heavy matter or sediment should accumulate it may readily be removed merely by removal of this plug and draining of the separation chamber.

The opening 35 is provided, as in some installations it is desirable to connect a pipe from this opening to the vent of the sewage system, since in some systems there may be created a syphon which will syphon the water out of the separation chamber and thus defeat the purpose of the device, as will later appear. The use of such a vent, however, is not generally necessary and,

therefore, in the drawing of the device it is shown with a plug in this opening.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that as the grease and lighter than water matter accumulates at the top of the separation chamber it will become necessary, at intervals, to drain the same from the chamber. This is accomplished by opening the door 36, pulling out the handle member 3| so that the inner end thereof engages into the slots 3|), rotating the handle member to raise the cam member 21 upwardly and thus cause the pin 34 to engage the nngers 33 and raise the gate 22. When the gate 22 opens the grease will flow out of the separation chamber and into the grease receptacle 35.

In view of the fact that the grease and other matter which accumulates at the top of the separation cahmber is lighter than water it will rise above the opening 2| although the bottom edge of the opening 2| is just slightly below the water level in the device. It is apparent that the height of the grease in the separation chamber directly above the bottom edge of the opening 2| cannot exceed in weight the weight of the water which would normally be above the edge of the opening if no grease were present. This is accomplished, of course, by regulating the height of the exhaust opening I8. The exhaust opening |8 is arranged so that the amount of grease 10 that can accumulate in the top of the separation chamber will not exceed the capacity of the grease receptacle 35. By this arrangement the user of the device is assured that when he opens the gate there will be no overow of the grease 15 receptacle 35but the same will only be filled to its capacity. Thus the emptying of the grease from the device is not a messy or dirty job but is very easily and conveniently acomplished. The discharged grease, of course, may be thrown 20 away or, in the case of some installations, saved for its commercial value.

In order to close the gate, and thus shut off the flow of grease or water into the receptacle 35, the handle 3| is turned to cause the cam 21 25 to bear against the gate and forcibly contact it with the edges bounding the opening 2|.

The device has been found particularly useful in household systems as it is sanitary and eiective in removing the grease and matters which 3() ordinarily clog the sewage System. Thus is reduces the expense of maintaining the sewage system as Well as the inconvenience of having frequent stoppage in the waste pipes, as is often the case in households where greasy dish water and 35 the like is discharged into the sink. It is particularly valuable in installations Where the fall of the discharge pipe from the sink is not sufficiently great to give the discharged water a rapid rate of flow as such installations are very quickly 40 stopped up from grease-bearing water.

It is claimed:

1. A device for separating matter from liquids comprising a separation chamber having inlet and outlet openings therein, a grease receptacle chamber adjacent said separation chamber, a grease receptacle in the last mentioned chamber, means for conducting grease from said separation chamber to'said receptacle chamber, said means being positioned below the normal liquid level of said separation chamber a distance such that the volume of liquids and grease which may accumulate at the top of said separation chamber will not exceed the capacity of said grease receptacle and means for stopping the flow from said separation chamber to said grease receptacle chamber.

2. A device for separating matter from liquids comprising a casing having an inlet opening at one end thereof, a baffle plate for directing the flow of liquid from said opening downwardly, a partition extending across said casing to form a separation chamber, a grease receptacle positioned between said partition and the outlet end of said housing, a channel portion beneath said grease receptacle and connecting with said separation chamber, said channel portion extending upwardly in said housing to ,form a discharge outlet and means for conducting grease from said separation chamber Vto said grease receptacle. 3. A device for separating matter from liquids comprising a casing having an inlet opening at one end thereof and an outlet opening at the other end thereof, a partition extending across said casing to form a separation chamber and a grease receptacle chamber, a grease receptacle positioned in said grease receptacle chamber, means in said partition for conducting grease in said separation chamber to said grease receptacle chamber, a gate member for shutting oif the iioW of grease, means for actuating said gate member, a handle member slidably mounted in s^aid gate actuating means and adapted to nterIock therewith in certain positions so that said handle member may be utilized to operate said gate actu-- ating means.

FRIEDA LOEB, Eecutri of the Estate of Maurice Loeb, De-

ceased. 

